Novak Djokovic will play on the Australian Open, say the organizers

Tennis participant No. 1 Novak Djokovic will participate within the Australian Open in January, the organizers of the Grand Slam match introduced on Wednesday. The announcement got here after weeks of hypothesis about whether or not Djokovic would journey to Australia due to the vaccination requirement.

The Australian Open have added Djokovic to their fundamental discipline listing of members for the summer season match.

“Defending champion Djokovic will play for an unimaginable tenth Australian Open trophy – and the twenty first main males’s singles title – and would be the favourite in a draw that can current 49 of the highest 50 on the earth,” stated an announcement.

The announcement was adopted the day earlier than by the ATP Cup match, which is held as a forerunner to the Australian Open in Sydney and to which Djokovic was amongst his members.

Djokovic was not instantly out there for remark.

Australia has imposed a brief two-week ban on worldwide entry due to the Omicron variant. The federal government had beforehand introduced that some classes of visa holders can be allowed to enter the nation freely if vaccinated. Officers restricted the variety of unvaccinated vacationers who may enter the nation per week they usually needed to be quarantined for 2 weeks upon arrival.

The Australian authorities have said that every one gamers taking part in tournaments within the nation have to be vaccinated.

In October, Djokovic, the reigning champion and nine-time winner of the Australian Open, advised a Serbian information company that he might not attend the Australian Open as a result of he wouldn’t reveal his vaccination standing.

Final week, Mr Djokovic’s father, Srdjan Djokovic, stated that “below these blackmail and circumstances”, his son is unlikely to participate within the match.

Novak Djokovic’s remark in October sparked numerous contradicting statements between Australian authorities ministers and match organizers about entry necessities for worldwide guests.

The native information media reported hypothesis that Tennis Australia, which hosts the Australian Open, will request medical exemptions for unvaccinated gamers. The group has denied these claims.

James Merlino, the deputy prime minister of Victoria, whose capital is Melbourne, stated in response to the rumors, “Medical exemptions are simply that – it isn’t a loophole for privileged tennis gamers.”